Catching pike on bait

In winter, it is not so easy to catch a predator as a trophy, it responds mainly to natural bait, live bait, and to the balancer, which copies the inhabitants of the reservoir as much as possible. Catching pike on vents is the most popular type of fishing, it is classified as passive, but at the same time you can catch peaceful species of mormyshka or bloodworms.

What is a zherlitsa

Fishermen have been using the zherlitse for a very long time, our ancestors had this tackle more primitive, but it also brought decent catches. Now there are several types of this type of tackle, each of which will catch no less effectively if there is a predator in the pond.

The principle of operation of the tackle is simple, a fishing line is wound on the reel, a leash with a live bait at the end is knitted to it. The fish is lowered to the required depth and they are waiting for a bite, which will be signaled by a raised flag. A variety of types are used that can completely cover the hole or be above it.

This type of tackle is used more often from ice, it is especially effective on first ice and on the last ice at the very beginning of spring. In the dead of winter, with the help of a vent, you can get good trophies, fishing will be effective and interesting even during this period.

Where to catch

Fishing for pike in winter on vents takes place in different parts of the reservoir, anglers with experience know exactly where to put the tackle immediately after the formation of ice, where to transfer it to the wilderness, where to find the coveted trophy just before the ice cover melts. Secrets and subtleties are not immediately revealed to beginners, not all senior comrades share their experience with the younger shift. It should be understood that catching pike on flags will bring success only with the right place and active live bait. Tackle for a toothy predator is installed in different places, depending on the period of freezing.

On the first ice

First ice fishing is the most effective, it will be great to catch fish on mormyshka, and on lure, and on live bait. Zherlitsy for pike during this period is also used, while they are usually put closer to the thickets of reeds and reeds, on the shallows.

It is in these places that pike will still hunt, it will leave later for wintering pits and rifts.

Wilderness

During this period, all fish fall into suspended animation, but for pike, this state is not typical. She continues to hunt and move about in search of food, but not as actively. Tackle for her capture with live bait is put closer to the wintering pits, more precisely at the exits from them.

Last ice

Before the ice cover disappears, the toothy predator behaves more actively, it tries to get close to the holes where the water is more saturated with oxygen. She does not change the parking lot, but she will be more willing to take the offered bait.

The right rig

Catching gear is not as easy to assemble as it seems at first glance. Properly selected base and other components will help not to lose the spotted predator.

For this to happen, it is worth learning how to select all the elements and independently equip the vent.

Basis

For the base, they usually take a monofilament fishing line, 15 m is enough, but the thickness should be decent, it is selected by periods:

The cord is not used for collecting tackle; when playing a trophy, the angler with a cord can cut his hands.

Leashes

Tackle is necessarily formed with leashes, without them the equipment is considered incomplete and may break. Most often used for this:

• tungsten;
• fluorocarbon;
• steel plate;
• kevlar.

Titanium options will be stronger, but for the price they are not available to all anglers.

Often, fishermen make their own leashes, as the appropriate length and quality are not always available in the distribution network. The most popular products are fluorocarbon and steel, they are easy to manufacture and efficient in working order.

Hook

For planting live bait, single, double and triple hooks of good quality are used. The outcome of fishing often depends on the sharpness and power, a thin and fragile option will simply straighten up at the first jerk of a toothy one, and a blunt fish simply will not be detected.

Tees and twins are most often used by anglers with experience, and the fish are baited in different ways, you can learn more about this from another article on this topic on our website.

Findings

Swivels, carbines, stoppers are also no less important, weak options will not be able to withstand the pressure of a predator and will break at her first attempts. Therefore, it is advisable to choose options from well-known and trusted manufacturers that you fully trust.

We collect tackle

It doesn’t take much time to collect a zherlitsa, and you don’t need to have special skills either. It is enough to have everything you need, the process itself looks like this:

• 10-15 m of the base, monks of the required thickness are wound on the coil;
• install a rubber or silicone stopper, followed by a sinker of 4-8 g;
• the second stopper is installed almost at the very edge of the base;
• a leash is knitted through a swivel to the base; it can be both purchased and home-made;
• at the second end of the leash, a hook is installed under the live bait, a tee or a double of good quality.

Choosing a live bait

Without live bait, it will not be possible to achieve success by fishing on bait, for this they select a medium-sized fish and preferably caught in the same reservoir. Excellent options are carp, roach, ruff and even small perch.

They are most often planted through the gill covers or behind the dorsal fin, which will keep the activity longer.

We figured out where to catch pike in January and other months, the main thing is to choose high-quality components and active live bait, then fishing will definitely go off with a bang in any of the freezing periods. You should pay special attention to the weather, with thaws and cloudy skies it will be better to catch than in frost and with the sun.